Electrical connectors provide an electrical pathway or junction to provide a mechanical connection between wires, circuit leads, components or other current carrying devices. Typically, electrical connectors are connected or disconnected during periods when there is no current passing through the device. Although not generally recommended, electrical connectors may be connected or disconnected under load, depending on the voltage and current levels. This can, in turn, lead to an arcing condition where current jumps across an air gap between contacts. Depending upon the design and construction of the system, arcing can cause serious damage to the component, such as pitting, or may lead to the connector being welded or fused in place when the connector pins are melted by the arc. In addition, in many systems, the voltage and current levels are high enough to also cause bodily harm to an operator attempting to connect or disconnect the line under load.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,588,605 to Casson discloses an electromechanical switch with arc suppression that has a gate circuit for use in alternating current devices comprised of reactive passive elements that sense the level of voltage across the switch contacts. The disclosed switch is designed to limit current when the switch breaks the circuit to minimize damage to the contacts and prolong the life of the equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,472 to Woodworth discloses a direct current device for suppressing arcs in mechanical switches or circuit breakers. The disclosed design uses a bipolar transistor to actively shunt current around the switch when the contacts are opened during opening or during any “bounce” upon closing.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a connector that minimizes or eliminates arcing. It would also be desirable to provide a connector that reduces or minimizes arcing without requiring a separate arc control system, so that the improvement may be integrated into existing systems without extensive re-design.